Parks and Rec’s Success

August 13, 2010 – Parks and Rec ‘s EP Release Party managed to cement the band’s place amongst Toronto’s indie mainstays. Well, in my eyes at least.

There weren’t many people at the Garrison for the opening acts, the Bensons (featuring Parks and Rec’s Eric Easson Hummel) and Chang-A-Lang. Though, to be fair, during Chang-A-Lang’s set, a few wild dancers managed to bring life to the sparse crowd. Thus, I wondered if Parks and Rec’s would manage to fill the venue once they cam onstage.

They didn’t; but they came damn close. Either way, those who weren’t there missed out. With reverberating rhythms and gentle melodies booming throughout the Garrison, the charismatic five-piece left their audience with a sense of wonder combined with sheer appreciation. Tunes such “New Tides” and “Barcelona” showcased the band’s talent best: spine-tingling guitar chords and thudding bass lines, laced with steady, beating drums. And the defining factor: Charles Tilden’s gentle voice intertwined with Cristina Taborda’s lilting vocals. The band plowed through their set with a confidence and cohesion rarely found in groups with multiple vocalists and guitar players. Each member brought a distinct flavor — whether it was through similar or different instruments — which fused into savory harmonies.

Parks and Rec’s breed of folk-alt-rock could be exactly what Toronto has been waiting for.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GENEVIEVE LUI